Set of Wings
by Tori of Lorien
Summary: Some call him man.  Some call him angel.  But no matter which one he is, Van Helsing will have to face his darkest dreams when he returns to Transylvania when he finds that they have been awakened…
1. Prologue: Dracula's Lair

**Set of Wings**

**Summary**: Some call him man. Some call him angel. But no matter which one he is, Van Helsing will have to face his darkest dreams when he returns to Transylvania when he finds that they have been awakened…

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of the characters, so no suing please!

**A/N**: Hey! This is my first "Van Helsing" fic, so no flames please. I am a supporter of the Van Helsing being an angel theory, so there will be a lot of reference to that. This story is set three years after the movie ended. Enjoy!

Prologue: Dracula's Lair- _1891_

Dracula's lair, home of the Valerious. The place had been abandoned for three years, ever since the hands of the legendary Van Helsing had killed Dracula. But the laboratory inside of his lair was not so abandoned.

"So close… I'm so close!" the young scientist by the name of Ivan Frank muttered to himself as he added another chemical to his potion. Ever since his father had passed away five years before, he had been determined to find a sort of grand elixir of life so that no one he loved would die again. He was too close to make any mistakes now.

The midnight hour was drawing near, and though he had been there the entire day, he was starting to grow wary as the nightmarish hour approached. This was not his ideal location to complete the work that lay ahead of him, but he didn't have any other choice if he wanted to save the woman he cared about most in the world. But now, there was something about the castle that frightened him, as though the dark legacy of the creature that had once dwelled there still lingered in the very air he breathed.

Ivan lifted the small glass vial to his eyes to inspect it more clearly as he added the final chemical. It was complete. Now, he could leave this damned place and return home to use the elixir to save his ailing wife and give his two sons back their mother.

Suddenly, the loud sound of a clock somewhere in the castle chiming the first stroke of midnight echoed around him. Ivan jumped at the loud noise, startled, and the glass vial dropped from his hand. The young scientist watched with dread as it shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces at his feet. The liquid content spilled out into a small pile of fine black powder that almost resembled ashes, steam rising from it from the contact.

But Ivan didn't even seem to see this. All he cared about was that his one chance at saving his wife was gone as the clock continued to chime. He stumbled back away from the table, tears coming to his eyes as he nearly fell over his own feet in his haste. All of his work, his carefully planned work, was destroyed. He turned away from the sight, unable to bear it.

As the clock struck the final stroke of midnight, something remarkable happened. The black ashes that the elixir of life had spilled into began to move across the stone floor and take form. Ivan slowly looked over his shoulder when he heard the slight movement, and he watched with mounting fear as the ashes took on the form of a human skeleton, bones appearing beneath the dust. The scientist turned completely around to watch as muscle and tissue stretched over the bones, skin appearing next and forming distinctive facial features.

Ivan stared in horror as the man that now stood before him pushed a stray strand of his long, dark hair behind his ear. The scientist had heard many tales, and he instantly recognized the pale complexion and the dark, lifeless eyes. "It's… it's not possible…" he stammered, inching back. "Count Drac- Dracula!"

"Ah, good. It seems that I need no introduction," Dracula muttered in his smooth tone, taking a few tentative steps forward as if walking for the first time. "At least you know who you are messing with. But who, may I ask, are you, and what are you doing in my castle?!"

Ivan only stared back at the undead man, the color draining from his face and strangely resembling the vampire's. His mouth was agape, all words failing him.

Count Vladislaus Dracula eyed the man curiously, and then his gaze shifted down to the liquid content that was still simmering on the stone bricks at his feet. He dropped to one knee and ran his index finger through it, bringing the chemical to his eyes to inspect it thoroughly. Amusement shone in his dark voids as he rose to his feet.

"The basic elixir of life," Dracula commented with a smirk. "Though I'm sure it was accidental, I must thank you for reviving me. Dying was something that was not in my game plan. For your act, I will make sure your death is quick and _somewhat_ painless."

"No!" Ivan shouted as his voice returned, coming back to his senses as the count advanced toward him menacingly. "Please. My wife is dying. I have two young sons. Please, spare my life. I'll do anything!"

Dracula's fangs were bared as he grabbed onto the young scientist's arm, but when he heard the last part of the man's pleading statement, he paused thoughtfully. Ivan had revived him from nothingness, and he was intelligent enough to create a key to life. Maybe, just maybe, he would come in handy… The vampire's fangs shrunk back to normal, but he moved in closer so that his face was only a mere couple of inches away from the other man's.

"Anything?"

**A/N**: Hey! I'm sorry that this was kinda short. The next chapters will be longer, and Van Helsing and Carl make their appearance in the next installment. Also look for more Dracula in upcoming chapters. Thanks for reading! Your reviews are much appreciated!


	2. Invisible Menace

**Disclaimer**: I still do not own any of the characters from "Van Helsing". I also do not own any literary villains that will alliance themselves with Dracula. But, I do own Ivan and any other characters that I throw in.

**A/N**: Hey! I'm glad you guys liked this story so far. As I promised, Van Helsing and Carl will be in this chapter, but before we get to that, there are some things we need to discuss. First and foremost, I have a new cousin by the name of Anika Mae who was born not long ago. In honor of her, I have named the new character in this chapter after her. Also, for those of you who have read "The Invisible Man" by H.G. Wells, you will probably recognize the villain in this chapter. The only thing is, the scientist who is invisible has the name of Griffin. For creative purposes, I have changed the spelling to _Gryphon_. But, it's the same person, except he's a cold and heartless monster in this story. Lol! Okay, now for the thank-you's! 

**Elwyndra**: It is evil isn't it! This one might only be _slightly_ less evil. Lol! Thank you for your review! I'm glad you like it!

**Halo**: I'm glad that I can be your first exposure to the wonderful world of "Van Helsing", my long lost twin, and I'm glad you're intrigued by Dracula like I am. Thanks for the funny "Young Frankenstein" references! And thanks for all of your villain ideas. Since I want to use them all, I guess there will have to be sequels. Thanks, dear! 

**Lady Nessa**: Thanks! I'm glad I have your full and undivided attention! I'm glad you like it so much, and I hope you like this one as well!

**Reminder**: I do not write slash stories, so please do not take this as a slash story. Thanks!

All right. With that done, here's the update!

Chapter 1: Invisible Menace 

"Van Helsing. Van Helsing!"

Gabriel Van Helsing gasped when he heard his name, jerked out of his trance as he glanced over at the man who was riding the horse next to him. "What, Carl?"

"Is there something wrong?" Carl asked with concern, looking at his friend nervously. "You look pale."

Van Helsing sighed. "Nothing's wrong," he answered as he shifted his hat to another, more comfortable position on his head. "I just had the sudden feeling that our job wasn't completed the last time we came here."

Carl looked ahead of them, and he saw that they were drawing near to the dreary land of Transylvania. "That's impossible," the friar muttered. "Last time we were here, we vanquished Count Dracula."

"I know," Van Helsing replied as they entered the all-too-familiar territory. "But this time, we're dealing with something that none of us are familiar with."

"You know, I've always wondered why most of these occurrences happen with mad scientists," Carl commented. "The Invisible Man, as they call him, turned out to be invisible because of an experiment back-firing."

A laugh escaped from Gabriel as the two friends dismounted their horses. "And do you have anything that will work against said Invisible Man?"

"Afraid not much, for as you said before, we've never dealt with this kind of menace before," Carl replied, digging into his heavy bag. "A bag of normal baking flour is really the only new thing I can give you."

"Thanks, Carl," Van Helsing muttered, taking the bag of thick white powder and looking it over before giving it back to the friar. "Now, come on. We have to find this man before he does any more harm."

"After we stop at an inn," Carl corrected, holding up his large bag of gadgets and weapons that Van Helsing always used. "There is no _way_ that I am carrying this on our man-hunt across Transylvania."

Van Helsing rolled his eyes at his friar friend, laughing a little. "All right, Carl. Have it your way."

Xxxxxxxxxx

The two friends soon found a small, shabby inn that they could stay at. It wasn't luxurious, but it would have to do.

Van Helsing pushed open the creaky wooden door, suddenly growing wary as his eyes scanned the small "lobby". It was made entirely of wood; some worn or broken in places, and the dim lighting made it look even shabbier than the outside. There was a small desk on the far side of the room in front of a wooden staircase.

"Would you _move_ it?!" Carl exclaimed, pushing past Van Helsing into the room. But then, they both gasped silently when they saw they weren't alone.

A young girl of around fifteen was sitting stiffly behind the desk as though she was afraid of something. Her face was pale, her eyes red and moist from crying. There were dark rings beneath her brown eyes, her strawberry blonde hair tied messily back away from her face. As they looked closer, they could see that she was shaking.

Carl began to move toward her in concern, but her fearful eyes remained on the taller man. Van Helsing met her gaze, wondering what had happened to her…

"Leave!" she suddenly screamed, catching both men off guard. "He's here!"

"Who's here?" Carl asked as he approached the desk and placed his hand on her shoulder, feeling her tense beneath his touch.

Suddenly, the friar cried out in surprise when an unseen hand tightly grabbed his wrist in a death grip and pried his hand off the girl's shoulder. "Van Helsing!" Carl shouted as he was forcefully pushed away from her.

Gabriel quickly looked down on his friend as the desk was tipped over and almost landed on top of him. "Carl!" Then, his gaze shifted upward when he heard an almost maniacal laughter echo around the small room.

"I'm sorry that this girl had to spoil the surprise, but I'm glad that you finally made it, _Van Helsing_," an aerial voice taunted in a hiss.

"Yeah. Sorry we're late," Van Helsing replied sarcastically. "But we weren't entirely sure what weapons to bring to the fun, Invisible Man."

"I prefer Gryphon, if you don't mind," the voice belonging to the unseen man said. "I hate to say this, but what good would weapons be if you cannot see me?"

Van Helsing's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You are wanted for the murder of fifteen men, women, and children, _Gryphon_," he told him, using the name with venom as he looked everywhere around him for some sign of the man. "I have to try."

Then, a force equal to that of a charging bull collided with him, knocking the famed hunger into the wooden door of the inn. Since it wasn't very stable, Van Helsing crashed through it and landed on the damp, cool ground outside. He heard a couple of slight footfalls near him, but he saw no one as an unseen hand grabbed his hair and pulled him forcefully to his feet.

"Carl!" Van Helsing shouted through clenched teeth as the Invisible Man landed a punch to his stomach. "Get the girl away from here!"

The friar had appeared in the now empty doorway, watching the scene with mounting fear. When he heard his order, he nodded and turned back to face the desk. "Come on, dear," Carl said gently, extending his hand out to the girl.

Now that the Invisible Man had left the room, the girl immediately got up from her stool and ran around the fallen desk into the friar's welcoming arm. Carl pulled her out of the inn, keeping her close to him as he began to run from the area.

"Oh no, they don't," Gryphon muttered dangerously, dropping the struggling Van Helsing to the ground and running after them.

Seeing what the deranged man had in mind, Van Helsing slowly opened his eyes and quickly pushed himself to his feet. Hoping that he could reach his friend in time, he ran after the retreating forms of the friar and the girl.

Carl suddenly stopped short when one of the Invisible Man's hands grabbed onto the hood of his robe and pulled, choking him. The girl screamed and backed away from him in terror. As Gryphon's pull became more forceful, spots danced before the friar's eyes as it became more and more difficult to breathe…

Then, the unseen man's grasp was released, and Carl had the feeling that he was falling. He kept his eyes tightly shut, not wanting to see the hard ground before he hit it. But then, his fear was replaced with confusion as he felt a pair of strong, sturdy arms break his fall. He felt safe and protected in these arms, almost as if he had fallen into the arms of an angel. The friar slowly opened his eyes, seeing the concerned face of Van Helsing looking back down on him. The sun slowly peeked out from behind the clouds above them, and Carl wasn't sure if it was the sunlight or an imagined, almost mystical light that he saw surrounding his friend.

"Are you all right, Carl?" Gabriel Van Helsing asked worriedly.

"Fine," Carl answered, shaking away his daze as the other man helped him into a sitting position. He was surprised to see that the girl that had been in the inn was kneeling by his side with concern. "Just a little winded."

Van Helsing smiled slightly at how lightly his friend was taking what had happened, but then he grunted when the Invisible Man suddenly kicked him forcefully in the side. Gryphon's aerial laughter echoed in his ears as he lay sprawled on the ground, the sound slowly fading as the unseen man concealed his location once more.

Carl picked up the heavy bag of weapons at his feet and threw it. "Van Helsing!"

Van Helsing looked up in time and caught it, opening it and pulling out the bag of normal baking flour and making a tear in it. He got to his feet and stood protectively in front of Carl and the girl, his eyes darting wildly around as he looked for any signs of their invisible enemy.

"You can't see me… You won't find me…"

Suddenly, Van Helsing whirled around and threw the bag of flour at Carl's head. "Get down!"

There was a muffled _thump_ from and a cry of surprise as the bag missed the friar by inches and made contact with what looked like air, but when the flour inside spilled out of the tear that had been made, the bottom half of one side of a man's face was formed with shock clearly seen on it.

Gryphon looked up at Van Helsing anxiously and ran out from behind Carl and the girl while trying to wipe the flour off his face as he dashed quickly down the dirt road. Van Helsing took out a gun and carefully aimed since most of the man was still invisible, but he found the center of his back and fired.

There was a scream of pain as the shot echoed around the air and as a hovering bloodstain appeared when Gryphon dropped to the ground. Van Helsing began to make the sign of the cross as the girl and the friar came up behind him.

Carl sighed with displeasure as he looked at the unmoving Invisible Man. "Didn't I stress that you need to take them _alive_, Van Helsing? The Vatican is getting really annoyed at you…"

Gabriel smirked at the comment, but before he could reply, his eyes widened in horror when Gryphon slowly rose to his feet again. "This isn't over, Van Helsing!" he shouted, wiping the flour completely away and covering the bloodstain on his back with his hand.

Van Helsing raised his gun again, his eyes darting everywhere for any sign of Gryphon, but he sighed in defeat and lowered his weapon. The Invisible Man was gone.

**A/N**: As I said in the author's note of the prologue, I am a supporter of the Van Helsing being an angel theory, so I will make what I call "angel references" throughout the rest of the story. This was my first one, and I hope it turned out all right. Hope you liked the chapter! Dracula will be back in the next installment, and you will learn about the girl Van Helsing and Carl found in the inn (she will _not_ be an Anna type character, for she won't be going with them on any jobs). Thanks for reading. Your reviews are much appreciated!


	3. Nightmare

**Disclaimer**: Nothing in this story is mine, except for Anika.

**A/N**: Hey! I'm glad you liked the last chapter and the villain that was decided on. The other one will be introduced in the chapter after this. Also, as I promised, Dracula will be in this one again. I wrote almost this entire chapter after a math test, so that's why it's done so fast! Thanks for reviewing (special thanks to **Elwyndra**!), and enjoy!

Chapter 2: Nightmare

"Well, that didn't turn out, did it?" Carl muttered, mainly to himself as he looked down the road where the Invisible Man had vanished.

Van Helsing ignored the friar's comment as he continued to look up the dirt road, hoping that he could figure out where the Invisible Man could have gone. Then, he cried out loudly in frustration. "How could I have let him escape? Now he's able to kill more people!"

Carl sighed and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Don't be so hard on yourself," he told him. "We're dealing with something that none of us were prepared for. We'll just head back to Vatican City and-!"

"No," Van Helsing interrupted darkly. "Next time we'll be more prepared. I'm not leaving for Rome until that man is in custody or dead."

"Well, hopefully _not_ the latter…"

"Where will you stay?"

Both Carl and Van Helsing turned around when the girl that they had rescued from the inn spoke out for the first time. She seemed to shrink back a bit when she felt their gazes rest on her curiously.

"I don't know," Van Helsing answered her, looking up and down the road without interest. "That inn I suppose. There's not really any other option, now is there? Who are you?"

"Anika," the girl told him quietly, unable to meet his eyes. "My grandfather used to own that inn- that is, until the Invisible Man took it over. We didn't believe that such a thing was possible until the murders began and no evidence of the killer could be found. Then after Gryphon took over our inn, he killed my grandfather for sport and destroyed everything. I was held hostage in there for three days. He told me that he kept me alive for fun- he toyed with me. You cannot stay there. There's hardly anything left of it."

"Well, where else is there to go?" Carl wondered, horrified to hear what the girl had been through. "It's not like we know anyone here anymore."

Surprisingly, a smile slowly spread across Anika's face. "My home has a couple of extra rooms- you may stay there," she said. "It is the least that I can do to repay you for saving my life."

Van Helsing studied the young girl carefully. "Thank you. That is very kind," he finally replied. "We accept your offer."

Xxxxxxxxxx

Night fell quickly over Transylvania, everyone in it falling asleep along with it. But while everyone slept, one man silently walked along the dirt roads, his dark eyes scanning the area for any sign of an unfortunate soul who happed to cross his path.

Vladislaus Dracula felt the night's chill as he slowly strolled, hearing slight voices coming from behind the doors of the few people still awake as he walked past them and saw every minute detail of the area around him. How strange it was to feel, to hear, and to see again after three years of nothing but darkness. He wondered if tasting would be as pleasurable to be reintroduced to.

This was his first night of feeding- his stomach had been too weak the first night he was revived, so he had remained in his lair. Besides, his break had also given him a chance to keep an eye on the young scientist Ivan Frank to make sure that he would not betray him. As he learned, the man would not double-cross him out of fear of the deadly consequences. At least he had his allegiance, no matter how fragile it was.

But then, the undead lord of vampires slowly came to a stop as his sharp senses picked up a trace of human life. He could hear the soft, steady heartbeat of a man, the uneven rhythm of his limping footsteps. But most importantly, he could smell the metallic scent of blood on the wind. This was going to be easy. Someone was wounded.

Dracula's lifeless eyes darted around for some sign of his pray, but he saw nothing. Maybe his senses were off from being dead for three years? They were telling him that someone was nearby, almost directly behind him, yet he could see no one…

Suddenly, the count whirled around and grabbed an unseen wrist, the hand attached to it about to come down forcefully on his head. Dracula felt a feeling of immense relief. His senses had not been wrong, but he had never been met with a stranger sight. He could feel his cold fingers wrapped around the limb, feel the pulse racing beneath the skin, but he could see it. In fact, it seemed that no one was there at all.

"What are you?"

"I should be asking _you_ that!" an aerial voice replied, struggling to sound calm but not succeeding. "You- you're not human, are you? That's how you were able to see me… Like that other man!"

This situation really was peculiar. Dracula slowly released the man's wrist, his sharp eyes now able to see traces of his energy even though he was unseen to the human eye. "What other man?" he asked.

The Invisible Man gave a laugh of startled relief when he was released. "Everyone knows of him," he answered casually, more comfortable since the vampire was no longer holding him in a death grip. "Some famed hunter by the name of Van Helsing. Oh. I go by Gryphon, by the way. Who are you?"

But Dracula didn't answer immediately. Van Helsing… So, Gabriel had ventured back into Hell, had he? This night was getting more and more interesting by the minute… "A friend," he finally said. "This Van Helsing. "He is after you I take it?"

"Yep. You got it," Gryphon replied. "You know him?"

Dracula's eyes flashed as an idea came to him. An invisible ally would come in handy… "Yes, I know him, which is why I want to make a deal with you."

The Invisible Man leaned forward with interest. "I'm listening," he muttered.

A smirk appeared on Dracula's face as he took a step forward. "You hate Van Helsing- I _despise_ Van Helsing," he said. "Join me, and together, we can get rid of him for good. Unfortunately for you, my friend, I would trust you more if I could clearly see you."

"Sorry, Sir. Can't do that," Gryphon replied with a shrug. "Chemicals did this to me, but I wouldn't know what to do to return to normal. I've tried everything, but nothing seems to work. Sometimes I wish I wasn't invisible though. It's a nuisance really…"

Dracula's smirk broadened immensely when he thought of the trapped scientist he had waiting for him at the lair. "I could fix that. I could make it so you would only have to be invisible at will," he told him as he extended his hand forward. "What do you say?"

Gryphon looked down on the vampire's hand for a long moment, considering his options. Out of them, this seemed to be the more preferable one… Then, he reached forward and shook it.

"Deal."

Xxxxxxxxxx

"Gabriel… Oh, Gabriel…"

Van Helsing heard the haunting voice echoing in his ears- felt the dark aura close behind him. He quickly turned around to face who was with him, but the only thing he could see was mist that seemed to stretch on for miles before him. There was no one there.

"Gabriel… 

Then, Van Helsing's eyes widened when he saw a dark figure appear in the mist, their face still hidden among it. As they drew nearer, the famed hunter gasped in horror when he recognized the dark, lifeless voids for eyes glaring at him as the man stepped out of the mist. He would know him anywhere…

"It's not possible," Van Helsing muttered in shock, shaking his head as he took an automatic step back.

"Hello, Gabriel," Dracula replied with a small smile. Then, he leaped forward, his fangs bared.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Van Helsing cried out and quickly sat up, his eyes darting everywhere for any sign of the vampire. But then, his breathing calmed and his heartbeat began to slow to normal as he rubbed his tired eyes. He realized that he was lying safe in bed in room that Anika had been so kind to let him use. What he had seen of Dracula had only been a nightmare.

Knowing that he wasn't going to get any more sleep that night, Van Helsing rose from the bed and wandered to the window. He looked down on the quiet street beneath him, but then his eyes moved to a larger building set a distance away- the home of the Valerious. He felt a stab of sorrow as he remembered Anna and thought about how much he missed her.

But then, his sadness was replaced with a gnawing nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach as he looked out at not only the home of the Valerious, but also Vladislaus Dracula. Though he knew that it was impossible, the dark feeling in his heart was telling him otherwise.

He had the horrible feeling that Dracula had returned.

**A/N**: Hoped you liked it! As I said in the earlier author's note, another villain will be introduced in the next chapter. Thanks for reading. Your reviews are much appreciated! Thanks!


	4. Hound from Hell

**Disclaimer**: Van Helsing, Carl, and Dracula are not mine (darn it!) and neither are the literary villains that I use, but Anika and Ivan are mine.

**A/N**: Hey! Thanks for sticking with me, guys. School has been hectic, though great, but unfortunately, it hasn't left me much time for writing. But, here I am, and I'm updating the next chapter. In this one, another villain will be introduced, who I will reveal at the end if you don't figure it out. All right, time for thank you's!

**Elwyndra**: Thank you very much for your great support and reviews! I'm glad we get to talk some now too. It's going to be great to get to know you! I hope you enjoy this one too!

**Halo**: Even though you don't know much about Van Helsing (we'll change that whenever you sleep over, lol!), I'm soooo glad that you are liking this story, and are even helping me with a couple of things. Thanks, my long lost twin! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

All right. With that done, let's move on to chapter three!

Chapter 3: Hound From Hell

He could have escaped- in fact, he _should_ have escaped when he had the chance. In truth, the only reason that Ivan Frank hadn't escaped from Dracula's lair was the thought of what the vampire lord would do to him if he even attempted to slip away. He did not want to test his patience.

The young scientist inwardly cursed himself at how much of a coward he was. He remembered how pathetically he had begged and pleaded for his life the previous night, and because his life meant so much to him, he was forced to swear his loyalty to Dracula and do everything he asked. As of yet he did not have any orders, but he knew that it was only a matter of time.

Then, his thoughts traveled to his ailing wife. He wondered how she was doing, and he wondered how she was handling their young sons, Donovan and Edward. Tears formed in Ivan's eyes, knowing that his dear Michelle would not last much longer. If only he had gotten her the elixir of life! Instead of sustaining her as he had promised her he would, he had accidentally revived the son of the Devil.

Suddenly, a low, menacing growl reached his ears. Ivan looked up and let out a strangled cry of horror at what he saw lurking near him.

It was the largest dog that he had ever seen; the top of its head reaching is thigh. Its dark gray fur blended in with the shadows, and its eyes were dark and sharp enough to match even Dracula's. It hunched its broad shoulders as it began to pace, its long, dagger-like teeth bared ferociously in a snarl as its eyes stayed glued to him in mad hunger.

Then, it reared back and pounced forward, its gaping mouth open and its claws extended to their full length. Ivan covered his head in fear, his heart racing as he waited to feel the weight of the dog come crashing down on him- to feel the piercing teeth tear into him.

But he never felt it. Ivan slowly lowered his arms and opened his eyes, startled to see that a man had appeared in front of him, facing down the monstrous dog. His relief was soon replaced with dread, however, when he saw whom it was that had saved him.

Dracula watched curiously as the large dog came near him, his neck dangerously close to entering the snapping jaws. But at the last possible second, he raised his arm and effortlessly knocked the heavy creature aside. It skidded across the floor and hit the wall, whimpering as it slowly rose to its feet.

"Is this… your dog?" Ivan asked with a slight laugh, looking at the back of the vampire's head nervously.

"No," Dracula answered, his lifeless voids remaining on the creature. "I have never seen him before. He may be some use to us, though, if he were trained."

Seeming to regain some of its confidence, the dog growled deeply at the count. Dracula seemed amused at this action as he looked down on the oversized creature. Suddenly, he leaned forward with his fangs bared, shrieking loudly. The dog whimpered sharply in fear and shrunk back against the wall.

"He has to know who is in charge," Dracula explained casually as he turned to face a startled Ivan.

"Whoa! I didn't know you were one of those!" an aerial voice suddenly exclaimed, causing the young scientist to cry out when he saw that there was no one else there in the room with them. "Why didn't you tell me that you were a vampire?!"

Dracula smiled at where he knew Gryphon was standing. "Because I am not just any vampire," he replied. "But do not worry, my friend. Our agreement still stands. I will not harm you."

Gryphon stared in awe at the vampire he now knew was Dracula. But then, his attention was switched to the large dog as it began to slowly move toward the trio, its eyes shining with the same burning hunger.

When he heard the slight movement, Dracula turned back around and knelt before the creature. He reached his hand out, not even cringing when the dog's teeth closed around it, piercing the skin. The vampire didn't even try to pull his hand free when he heard a sharp gasp of surprise from Ivan, but he continued to give the dog an angry, penetrating glare. Being able to feel the fury radiating from him, the dog whined softly and let go of his hand, beginning to lick it in a sign of submission.

"This dog has not eaten in a long time," Dracula commented as he used his other hand to scratch the creature behind the ears. "He was not here before, so he must have found his way in after I was killed. He could have been trapped in here for three years!"

"_Is this what I am to become?"_ Ivan thought to himself as he eyed the large creature nervously. _"Trapped in here with no way out?"_

"Since I have not yet fed either, I will take him out for a bite to eat," Dracula concluded, rising to his feet with the dog staying obediently by his side. "Gryphon, keep our young friend company, will you? Make sure that he doesn't get any ideas."

"Sure thing, Sir!" the Invisible Man replied, putting his arm around Ivan and making him cry out in surprise again.

"Good," Dracula muttered, glancing down at the dog. "Come." Then, in one swift motion, both vampire and hound were gone.

Xxxxxxxxxx

"It was the sunlight," Carl muttered to himself as Anika placed a plate of eggs and toast in front of him. "It was just the sunlight…"

The morning sunlight filtering in through the window didn't do much to brighten Van Helsing's mood, but seen his friar friend talking to himself about the struggle with Gryphon the previous day brought a smile to his face. "Is it just me, or is Carl getting stranger by the day?" he told the girl quietly when she laid his breakfast in front of him.

Anika laughed as she sat at the table between them, a little confused when she saw the look of concern that Van Helsing gave her. "Hm?"

"Aren't you going to eat anything?"

"No, I'm not hungry, Anika replied, brushing his concern aside. "Just enjoy your meal."

Van Helsing nodded and took a bite of toast, smirking a little as he listened to Carl's continuous mutterings of, "There's not other explanation!" Then, he glanced at Anika when he felt her eyes resting on him. "What?"

The girl seemed to be embarrassed that she was caught, but then she confidently met his gaze. "I was just wondering… how you almost finished off Gryphon yesterday," Anika muttered. "After you saved Carl, it seemed like you could see him. How?"

The famed hunter slowly put down his toast and cleared his throat. Even Carl stopped his rambling to hear the response to this question. "The one thing that you have to know about me is that I can sense evil," Van Helsing finally explained. "When I first entered the inn, I could feel that there was a source of evil that was not coming from you. While I fought him at first, I couldn't see any traces of him at all.

"But strange things seem to happen when I am driven by emotion. When I realized that he had targeted Carl, my sight was altered a little. I can't fully explain it, but I was now able to see even the slightest movements along with an energy trail. So I could not physically _see_ him, but I could see his presence."

Anika looked at him for a long moment, seeming both stunned and satisfied by the answer he gave. "You remind me of an angel," she muttered quietly as if deep in thought. "My grandfather always told me stories about angels- how they walked among us and watched over us. That's what he told me when my parents died when I was a young child."

Van Helsing looked back at her, startled by her comment. He had never been told that before… "I guarantee you, Anika, I am not an angel. Angels do not sin."

Carl's eyes suddenly narrowed in concern. "Van Helsing, you don't look well," he said. "Did you sleep all right last night?"

Before Van Helsing could reply, he suddenly looked out the nearby window. Anika and Carl turned to look as well, and they were horrified to see people running through the street in a feared rush. The famed hunger quickly got to his feet and rushed to the door, opening it and trying to see where the people were running. Then, anger roused within him when through the screaming, he could hear a decipherable statement.

"Murder! There's been a murder!"

**A/N**: I really seem to enjoy cliffies, don't I? Lol! Hoped you liked it! Oh, and in case you don't know your literature, the dog in the first part of the chapter is the Hound of the Baskervilles. Good creature villain, hm? Anyway, I'm also going to be writing a Dracula based fic called "Land of Confusion", so hopefully I'll get that on soon as well. Thanks for reading! Your reviews are much appreciated. Thanks!


	5. Mutual Agreement

**Disclaimer**: Nothing from "Van Helsing" is mine and neither are the literature villains that I use. But, Ivan and Anika are mine.

**A/N**: Hey! Sorry that it's been a longish wait. I was going to get this up yesterday, but I ended up going to Fright Fest at Great America with three of my friends. It was a blast! One of my friends and I ended up getting hypnotized (amazing how that works- I'll have to use hypnosis in one of my stories somehow!), and we also got hugs from this incredibly awesome zombie mayor in the City of the Dead. I got home around midnight, but since I was so refreshed after being hypnotized, I ended up going to bed around 1:30. I haven't had so much fun in a while! All right, I'm done rambling. Thank you all for your patience, and now for the personal thank you's! 

**cheryljulia**: Thank you for your review and welcome aboard! I hope you enjoy this chapter too!

**HaloFin17**: "Angels don't sin." That's one of my favorite lines too, and I'm glad you agreed! I'm glad that you like my villain choices so far (but I had some help from you!), and that they fit well into the story. And I can't wait until you come up for a visit! That's gonna be soooooo fun! Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like the characters thus far and you like the story!

**Elwyndra**: That's okay! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, I'm pretty evil with my endings, and I don't foresee that changing soon. Lol! Thanks again for your huge support!

I also want to apologize in advance that this chapter is pretty short and may seem kind of rushed (also, the first section is a teeny bit graphic- not bad by any means, though), but it's setting the stage for bigger things to come. Trust me. The next chapter will be longer. Thanks again! Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 4: Mutual Agreement

Van Helsing ran down the crowded street among the throng of people, inwardly cursing himself. How could he have let Gryphon escape? Because of his mistake, someone was dead. He _knew_ this would happen- he just _knew_ it!

Soon, the famed hunter could see a large crowd gathered in front of a stone well, all muttering anxiously to each other. Gabriel pushed his way through them, and his eyes faltered as he realized where he was.

This was where he had first met Anna.

Trying to push aside these dark thoughts, Van Helsing knelt down beside not one but two victims- a young man and a young woman, seemingly a couple. But as his eyes moved away from their terror-filled gazes, he noticed something strange. He gently brushed aside the girl's long black hair, seeing two small puncture marks on her neck where a pair of teeth must have sunk into. Van Helsing quickly turned to the man lying next to her and saw that his throat had been ripped out. As maniacal as he was, Gryphon could not have done this…

"Van Helsing! Van Helsing!"

Gabriel looked over his shoulder when he heard his name, and he watched as Carl and Anika approached him. When she saw the gruesome sight of the murdered couple, the girl's face paled as she screamed and covered her face, turning into the friar's arms. Carl met Van Helsing's gaze as he comforted the girl, and the hunter could tell that his friend was thinking the same thing he was.

"What does this mean, Van Helsing?"

The hunter sighed as he rose to his feet, his eyes studying the two young victims carefully. "It means that our Invisible Man did not commit these murders."

Xxxxxxxxxx

Ivan sighed as he leaned against the table, looking down on a photograph of two young boys. He smiled fondly as he gazed at their bright faces laughing up at him…

"Hey, are those your kids?"

The young scientist jumped as he cried out in surprise, nearly dropping the precious photo. "Gryphon, don't sneak up on me like that!" he snapped.

"Sorry. It's kinda hard not to since I'm invisible," the aerial voice of Gryphon said casually. "So, those are your sons I take it? They resemble you!"

"Yeah, that's them," Ivan replied with a smile as he looked at the photograph once more. "Donovan and Edward. Donovan's five, he's the one on the right, and Edward's seven."

The Invisible Man laughed a little. "They're still young yet," he muttered. "It's the age of exploration for them. But, hey. I have a question for you. How much do you know about Dracula?"

Ivan looked at the spot where he thought that Gryphon was standing with confusion. "Not much. Why?"

"Well, when I first met him last night, he told me that he had a way of enabling me to become visible and invisible at will," Gryphon told him. "Do you know anything about that?"

The young scientist thought about the statement for a moment, his eyes widening in fear. Was this to be his first assignment? He didn't know anything about how to create chemicals that would have an effect on skin pigmentation…

"I suppose we'll find out when he awakes this evening," Gryphon muttered when he didn't get an answer, looking at the large clock hanging on the wall near them. "That leaves us a few hours yet."

"_Yeah,"_ Ivan thought to himself nervously, _"A few hours to learn everything I can about skin pigments!"_

xxxxxxxxxx

"Who could have committed those murders if it wasn't Gryphon?" Anika asked as she sat on top of the wooden kitchen table. They had returned to her home after they had studied the bodies of the two murdered victims.

"Well, _who_ I can't figure out, but _what_ I can be more sure about," Van Helsing answered as he sat in the chair beside her. "The man was killed by some sort of creature- most likely a wolf or a large dog judging by the wound's size. But the girl only had two teeth marks in her neck, and I found that she had been drained of blood. That can only be done by a vampire."

Carl's face paled at the last word. "Vampire?" he muttered fearfully. "I thought that since we killed Dracula, everything that was bitten or created by him also died."

"So did I, Carl," Gabriel agreed, getting to his feet and standing before the window. His eyes narrowed as his gaze landed on the large home that once belonged to the Valerious family. "But I definitely feel evil coming from Castle Dracula."

Xxxxxxxxxx

A loud crack could be heard resounding around the stone chamber. The layer of ice over the coffin of the sleeping Dracula began to thin out. Then, it shattered as he rose from it, the minute shards soaring in every direction. The large dog at the foot of the coffin raised its head off its paws and widely yawned at the sound, slowly beginning to wake. The undead lord of vampires smiled down on the creature as he stepped onto the hard, stone floor.

"Come," he said, and with the dog at his heels, Dracula walked out of his sleeping chamber and headed toward his laboratory.

"Good morning, my friends!" Dracula exclaimed as he entered, making both Ivan and Gryphon quickly spin around in surprise.

"What has you in such a fine mood this morning, sir?" Gryphon asked lightheartedly, the clothes he was wearing the only clue to his location.

Dracula smiled. "It's the feeling of one's plan being set into motion," he answered. "And young Ivan here will be the one to start it."

Ivan looked startled. "Me?" he said.

"Yes, my friend. You," Dracula replied. "For you see, I want you to create something for me- a chemical that will allow our invisible companion here to become invisible at will. Could you do that? Could you create a potion that he could take that would achieve that?"

So, _that's_ what Dracula had in mind. Gryphon had been right… "Well… well… I'm afraid th-that I don't kn-know much about skin pig-pigments…" Ivan stuttered nervously.

But Dracula only grinned at his nervousness. "You have an able mind, Ivan- I'm sure you could figure it out," he told him. "After all, you were able to revive me."

Ivan gasped when he heard the last statement, remembering the photograph that he carried around in his pocket. Donovan… Edward… _Michelle_! The vampire had struck a nerve.

"No! I can't!" the scientist snapped angrily, catching Dracula off guard with his fierceness. "I _won't_! My wife is dying! The elixir of life that I created was for her! But because of you, it was _wasted_! Because of _you_, my wife will die!"

Gryphon cringed as he watched the scene in front of him play out, glad that he wasn't involved. His gaze moved from the scientist to the undead man, wondering how he was going to react.

Fury radiated from Dracula, but he placed his hand over his heart and pretended to be hurt. "Oh," he said, his face contorting into forced sadness. "Such harsh, hateful words…"

Ivan watched the vampire, not falling for his charade. But as he took a few deep breaths, anxiety rose within him when the fear of an angry Dracula settled in. "Please forgive me…" he muttered as he took a couple of steps back from him in fear. "I… I didn't mean… what I said…"

"Of course you didn't," Dracula told him in mock pity, placing his hand on his shoulder. "You are just concerned for your wife."

"Yes… yes…" Ivan said quietly as he nodded in terror-filled agreement. Then, he slowly looked up into the vampire's face as an idea came to him. "I will make your potion… _if_ I can find a way to save my wife."

"That's a good lad," Dracula replied with a smile. "You worry about that potion I want you to make- I'll take care of your wife."

Hope shone through in Ivan's eyes. "You know a way to save her?" he asked.

Dracula nodded. "I do," he answered. "Just leave it to me."

**A/N**: As I said before, I apologize for this chapter being short. I'm not too fond of it, but lets hope that you like it better! Thanks for reading! Your reviews are much appreciated!


	6. Now You See Me Now You Don't

**Disclaimer**: None of the characters are mine. Darn it…

**A/N**: Sorry for the long wait. I've been super busy lately (like I was up until two in the morning on Friday doing history homework… not the way I wanted to spend my Friday night. But I still got to watch Moonlight and NUMB3RS, so I was happy!). But here I am with another update! So, no worries! Time for the thank yous!

**Dr. Lust: **Thank you for your wonderful review! I'm glad you like it so much, and I'm glad to see another supporter of the angel theory. I hope you enjoy this chapter too!

**Gem Of The Stars**: Sorry it took me so long to update. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Elwyndra**: Hmm… you may be right. Lol! Yeah, my evil endings aren't going to get any less evil, especially with this chapter. So, watch out! Lol! I'm loving "Blood Red Diamonds". Keep up the great work! Thank you so much!

**Halo**: Well that's not good! Words of wisdom from our favorite friar. Lol! Thanks for your review! Now that you've seen the movie, I think you'll like this story better, especially since you can picture Dracula's ponytail! You have to come watch it again because I just discovered the commentaries, and he's one of them. So, yeah. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and keep up the great work on your stories!

**musiclover209**: Thanks for your review! Yay! Another supporter of the Van-Helsing-Being-an-Angel theory! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Okay, with all said and done, here's the next chapter!

Chapter 5: Now You See Me… Now You Don't

Michelle covered her mouth as she coughed once more, her thin frame shaking from the force. As her coughing ceased, her mind traveled to her husband. Ivan… he had been gone for so long. She was beginning to worry about him. But he had promised her that he would return with something that would help heal what was ailing her. She believed in him… she had to.

"Mother?"

Michelle looked down and saw that her eldest son, Edward, was looking up at her with concern. He could tell that every day her condition grew worse, and he was afraid of losing her.

"I'm fine, Ed," she told him, running her hand through his blond hair. "Now, up to bed. It's growing late."

"When's Father coming home?" Donovan, Edward's younger brother, asked from where he was playing on the floor.

A sigh escaped from Michelle. "I don't know, Don," she answered quietly. "But now, I want you in bed. Do you know how late it is?"

A pleading look appeared on both of the boy's faces. "Aw, come on, Mother…"

"Bed!" Michelle said sternly, gesturing to the wooden staircase.

With a groan, Donovan and Edward picked up their toys and rushed up the stairs, laughing as they raced each other. Michelle scanned the room one last time, switching off the light and walking up to the second story after her sons.

After tucking them in and kissing them goodnight, she went to her own room. She opened the window a little to get some air, growing used to the habit of opening it like Ivan had always done. Ivan… how much she missed him… Michelle lay down in bed, coughing once more before she found a comfortable position. It seemed very lonely without Ivan beside her, and she anxiously looked forward to his return home.

Then, she shivered as she felt an unnatural chill fill the room, almost as if a strange presence had entered it. Michelle turned over onto her back to check the window, and her eyes widened in horror when she saw a man sitting on the bed beside her. His midnight hair was pulled back away from his pale face, a single golden earring in his ear shining in the rays of moonlight coming in through the window.

Though she didn't know him, Michelle felt as though his demeanor lulled her into feeling comfortable around him. "Who are you?" she asked quietly.

The man didn't say anything at first. He came closer to her, lying down next to her as he propped himself up on his arm. "A friend of Ivan," he finally answered.

"How is he?" Michelle said, not feeling as excited as she should be about hearing news of her husband.

The man moved in closer yet, placing his arm lightly around her waist. "He is fine," he assured her. "But it has come to my attention that _you_ are ailing, my dear."

"It's nothing to worry about- just a little sickness," Michelle told him, allowing him to pull her into his arms. "Nothing serious."

"But Ivan worries about you," Dracula replied, looking down on her with mock pity. "I'm here to help you."

Michelle seemed to become more alert when she heard his statement, almost more awake, but she still remained close to him. "Has he finished with what he was trying to create?" she asked.

A gleam appeared in Dracula's black eyes. "Not exactly," he murmured. Then, he leaned toward her, pushing aside her light brown hair. He gently kissed her, and then kissed her neck. A smirk appeared on his face as his fangs grew longer.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Ivan concentrated as he stirred another chemical into the mixture, a book about the make up of the human body that he had discovered in Dracula's library open in front of him. He scanned the page about the different effects on skin pigmentation one last time, preparing to add the last chemical. He had to get this potion exactly right or Dracula would not keep up his end of the deal. He would not save Michelle.

"Why is this taking so long?" Gryphon asked, sitting on the wooden table beside the one that Ivan was working on.

"Would you be patient?" Ivan snapped, glancing momentarily at the clothing that appeared to be floating in mid air before going back to his work. "If you want me to make this potion exactly right so you can become visible without harming you in any way, I can't have any distractions."

Gryphon sighed impatiently, looking around the large laboratory for the second time to find something else to keep him amused. He had settled on bugging Ivan since he hadn't found something the first time. It was a pointless circle.

Ivan carefully read the words once more as the final ingredient was thoroughly mixed in, closing the thick book as he finished stirring the clear liquid. "There…"

"It's done?" Gryphon said, jumping to his feet and rushing to the table where the scientist was. He was anxious to take this potion, to be able to become invisible or visible at will.

"It's done, but you can't take it until Dracula returns," Ivan replied, taking the vial out of the reach of Gryphon's invisible hand. "I want to make sure he has held up the end of our deal."

Gryphon sighed in annoyance. "You're impossible," he muttered, crossing his arms.

Ivan was startled. "_I'm_ impossible?!"

"Yes, you are."

"Well, _I'm_ the one that's allowing you to-!"

"My friends, what has brought on such a heated argument?"

Both Gryphon and Ivan spun to face the door of the laboratory, shocked to see that Dracula had entered. They hadn't even heard him come in…

Gryphon recovered first. "Ivan finished the potion you told him to create, but he isn't letting me have it," he answered. "Do you know how long I've waited to become visible again?!"

Ivan looked at him in fear, and then at Dracula. He had the strange feeling that he and Gryphon were young children being punished by a parent… a very _strict_ parent.

"Why will he not give it to you?" Dracula wondered.

"It was waiting until you returned," Ivan said quickly before Gryphon could put him at fault, "to make sure that you kept up your end of our deal. Did you save Michelle?"

"Did you create the potion correctly?" Dracula countered.

Ivan sighed and slowly extended his hand forward, offering him the vial. Dracula took it and looked it over quickly before handing it to Gryphon. "I pray for your life that this potion is correct," he said, his eyes flaring dangerously as he looked at Ivan. "Otherwise there will be… _deadly _consequences."

The young scientist watched nervously as Gryphon laughed a little and then swallowed the potion, setting the vial down on the table. A moment passed, and nothing happened.

Suddenly, Gryphon screamed in pain, clutching his stomach as he dropped to his knees on the hard stone floor. Dracula took a step back, startled, as the man writhed on the floor before him. Ivan looked down on him in fear, able to feel the vampire lord's eyes burning into him accusingly. What had he done?

Then, Gryphon lay still. Ivan moved his gaze from the Invisible Man to Dracula, who was looking at him impassively. He moved back against the table, afraid to face his wrath.

All of a sudden, Gryphon began to laugh from the floor. Ivan and Dracula both looked down as he sat up, a smile beaming on his face. "Man, I got you guys good! That didn't hurt at all!"

Wait. A smile beaming on his _face_? It took Ivan a moment to realize that he was now looking upon an actual man, not air. His skin was light as if albino with defined features. His light blue eyes shone as he laughed, his chin-length blond hair moving into them.

"Hey…" Gryphon muttered, brushing some strands aside in annoyance. Then, he blinked in surprise when he saw his hand before him. "Hey. Hey!" he exclaimed as he jumped to his feet as he looked down on his hands and felt his now visible face. "I'm back! I'm visible!"

Dracula smirked as he watched the man, and then gave Ivan a look that either said "well done" or "you're lucky". The young scientist smiled nervously in return.

"Gryphon, we will have to work on your new ability to become invisible and visible," the vampire said, "but first, we must discuss what to do about _Van Helsing_."

Ivan saw the pure hatred on both Dracula and Gryphon's faces. He had heard tales of the great Van Helsing, and he sounded like an all around great guy… which is why they must have hated him.

"I don't know if this will help anything," Gryphon muttered as he continued to look down on his hands in amazement, "but Van Helsing is accompanied by another man that he seems to care about."

Dracula looked at him thoughtfully for a moment as he absorbed this information. "Well," he said, a smirk appearing on his face. "That does alter things just a little."

Xxxxxxxxxx

"I don't know why you want to got to Castle Dracula," Carl muttered as he walked with Van Helsing in the first rays of morning, Anika following behind them unsurely.

"Because there's something there, Carl," Van Helsing told him, making sure that his crossbow and pistols were fully loaded. "I don't know what, but there is definitely evil there."

"That's why we should stay away from it…"

Anika looked at the tall man walking in front of her with awe. He could sense evil. No matter what the hunter said, he was not an ordinary man…

Then, Van Helsing slowly came to a stop, his eyes darting around them at the housed on either side of the streets. "What's the matter?" Carl asked, standing protectively near Anika.

Without answering, Gabriel rushed to one of the homes on his right and forcefully kicked the wooden door open. He entered through the kitchen and ran up the staircase when he heard slight sobs coming from above him. Carl and Anika were following close behind him, but he took no notice of them. He stopped momentarily to study the few doors in the second floor hallway before entering one of the rooms.

Two screams of terror met his ears. Van Helsing saw that two young boys were sitting on the bed against the far wall, the blond-haired one who looked older protectively sitting in front of the other brown-haired one. Though he was trying to be brave, the hunter could see that the older of the two was horrified as tears fell from his eyes. As he studied them closer, he could see that they were related.

Realizing that they must have been afraid of him, Van Helsing slowly set his loaded crossbow on the floor and put his hands in the air to show that he didn't intend to harm them. "My name is Gabriel Van Helsing. I will not hurt you," the hunter said softly, taking an unsure step forward. "What happened here?"

The two boys were silent for a moment, but then the younger one cleared his throat. "Our mother was sick," he muttered. "Our father was trying to create something to help her, but he never came home. We can't find our mother. She's not here…"

"Donovan, quiet. That's enough!" the blond-haired boy snapped angrily. "Don't tell him any more."

Van Helsing took another cautious step toward them. "Donovan, listen to me. I want to help you, but to do that, I need to know exactly what happened."

Donovan remained silent since his brother had reprimanded him, but then the older boy spoke up. "That's what that man said, and now our mother's gone," he muttered.

"What man?" Van Helsing asked.

"What man, Edward?" Donovan added in horror.

"I… I don't know," Edward finally answered. "I didn't see him. I just heard his voice. But I will never forget it. It was so cold, so lifeless… It didn't even seem human. He was talking to our mother last night, saying he wanted to help her…"

"Van Helsing."

The hunter turned around and saw that Carl and Anika had entered the room. "We found this," the friar said, offering him a piece of faded parchment that looked as though it had been torn from a book. Van Helsing took it and quickly looked it over, his eyes narrowing.

"An elixir of life…"

Then, he turned to the two brothers. "Donovan. Edward. Can either one of you tell me what this is?"

Edward looked at it for a moment and then sighed heavily. "Our father is a scientist and our mother is very sick. He is trying to use that to help her," he told him. "He went to some lab…"

"Do you know where?" Van Helsing wondered anxiously.

"No…"

Gabriel sighed when he knew that he had hit a dead end. He didn't want to leave these boys alone when both of their parents were unaccounted for, but he was also anxious to reach Castle Dracula… He sighed when only one option came to him. "Anika, stay with Donovan and Edward until I come back for them," he said as he picked up his crossbow. "Carl, you come with me."

"Where are we going?" Carl asked as he followed the hunter out of the room, down the stairs, and back out onto the chilly street.

"Where do you think?"

Carl's face paled as he looked up at the ominous building that loomed in the distance. "I don't think it's such a good idea if we go back to Dracula's lair. What if there's really something there?"

Van Helsing tuned out his friend's continuous anxious mutterings, his eyes set on their destination. Evil definitely radiated from this place, and he intended to vanquish it. There would not be another assignment that would feel like it had been incomplete…

The two companions moved into an area where there weren't any people, and Van Helsing noticed that there was only one man with very light skin standing on the side of the road, his blond hair concealing his face. In his hand was the end of a leash that must have held some kind of dog. As the hunter and the friar reached him, the man suddenly looked up at them with sneering light blue eyes.

"Hello, _Van Helsing_."

Instinct took over the hunter, and he shoved his friend aside. "Carl, run!" He wasn't sure how it was possible, but he would know that voice anywhere. It was Gryphon…

The friar didn't need telling twice. He looked at Van Helsing for a moment, and then he began to run back toward the center of town. Making sure that Carl would be safe, Van Helsing turned back to face Gryphon… but was horrified to see that he was gone.

Then, an angry growl reached his ears, and the largest dog that he had ever seen jumped out of the trees where the Invisible Man had been standing. This was what was attached to the leash… Van Helsing raised his crossbow, but didn't have time to fire a shot before the creature was on top of him, pinning him to the dirt road as his crossbow went flying. It's dagger-like teeth snapped at him, but the hunter kept it at bay as he wrestled with it.

Carl stopped running when he heard the hound's deep growl, and he gasped in horror when he saw his friend struggling with the gigantic creature. He fought the urge to help, however, since he had been given instruction to run and he knew that Van Helsing could handle it on his own, and he turned back around. He cried out in surprise when he suddenly found himself met with the pale face of Gryphon.

"Hello, friar."

A shout for help died on the friar's lips as he was forcefully struck in the head with a heavy object. Carl felt himself fall to the damp ground and heard Gryphon's maniacal laugh before darkness consumed him, and he knew no more.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Van Helsing wasn't sure where Gryphon had disappeared to, but he was more concerned with the mad hound that was threatening to make him its next meal. The fact that the man could now become visible and invisible on a whim alarmed him, but now there were more pressing matters to attend to. The hunger struggled to push the canine off him, but he cried out in pain when its claws scratched across his side. The dog seemed to realize that it had the advantage, and it leaned in for the kill…

Suddenly, a whistle was heard, and the dog whined as it jumped off the hunter. "Come," he heard the voice of Gryphon say, "we have what we came for."

Van Helsing quickly pushed himself to his knees, wincing when his side painfully protested to his movements. Then, he gasped in horror when his eyes landed on Gryphon.

A pale, unconscious Carl was lying limply in the man's arms. Van Helsing reached for his crossbow as Gryphon began to laugh in amusement. "Let him go! It's me you want!"

But Gryphon only laughed harder, his skin and clothing beginning to vanish… and Carl began to disappear along with him. The dog at his feet barked loudly, and then rushed into the shadows of the trees.

Van Helsing forced his way to his feet, grimacing as his side throbbed. "Carl!" he shouted, running toward Gryphon as fast as he could. He should have never brought the friar along if he had known this was going to happen…

Gryphon's manic laugh intensified as the hunter approached, the tips of his fingers brushing against Carl's robes just as they vanished from sight and from under his touch. Van Helsing stumbled a little and dropped to his knees in defeat when the only sign that Gryphon had ever been there was his laugh echoing in his ears, his crossbow falling to the dirt. 

"Carl!"

**A/N**: See, I'm still evil with my chapters. Lol! Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading. Your reviews are much appreciated!


	7. Twisted Agreement

**Disclaimer**: Nothing is mine except for the plot and Ivan.

**A/N**: You know, it's amazing what you can learn from watching movie commentaries. I'm ashamed to admit this, but I just found the commentaries from Dracula, Velkan, and Frankenstein's monster on the _Van Helsing_ DVD the other week. I know. Sad. I've owned the DVD since it came out too… But anyhow, I learned a new word, and I've been using it ever since because my mom and I thought it was so cool. Bumnut. It's an Australian word (at least in Albury) for "egg". Credit to Richard Roxburgh of course! Thank your for your reviews of the last chapter! The only thing holding me back from updating this sooner was that I couldn't figure out a name for this chapter, but fortunately with help from my mother, I was able to get it on tonight. Time for the thank you's! 

**Dr. Lust** Thanks for your review! I hope this one is worth the wait also. We'll begin to see what happens to Carl here, so stay tuned. Hope you enjoy!

**musiclover209**: Yay! Suspense is one thing that I'm working for. Lol! Yeah, poor Carl. You'll have to keep reading to see what happens! Thanks for your review, and I hope you enjoy this one also! 

**Celtic Aurora**: Well that's not good! Lol! Love that line! It's one of his best, for sure. Thank you very much and welcome aboard. It's good to see yet another supporter of the Van-Helsing-being-an-angel theory. Thank you again, and I hope you enjoy!

**Elwyndra**: Ha! I can spell your pen name without looking now. Lol! Anyway, thank you so much for your review! I really appreciate all of them! And I'm afraid to say that they're not going to get any less evil. Thanks so much for your review, and I hope to see more from you soon (hint: Blood Red Diamonds)!

**Halo**: Poor Carl, our favorite advice-giving friar! Well that's not good! But don't worry. He's in good hands. Speaking of which, I think there will be something that you like in this chapter… Lol! Thank you for your review! I'm glad Gryphon makes you smile. He's growing on me too! And we will learn Ivan's response in this installment. Yes, I remember when Roberta said. "bite me", or at least she wouldn't mind if Drac bit her. Lol! I'm glad you're hooked on him like I am. Long live the ponytail!

Okay, with all said and done, let's move on with the next chapter!

Chapter 6: Twisted Agreement

Ivan nervously paced the laboratory, not knowing what was happening. A plan had been formed between Dracula and Gryphon as they practiced his new ability of being able to turn invisible and visible at will, and he had been left out. Gryphon had gone into the town with the hound when morning had approached, and Dracula was now sleeping in his icy lair, leaving him alone. He had never been more afraid in his life, but the feeling was being tamed slightly when a desire to escape also rose up inside of him. He had to return home, to return to his wife and sons…

"Ivan."

The scientist turned around to look over his shoulder at the quiet sound of his name, and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw who had entered the lab. "Michelle…" he whispered in surprise.

It had to be some trick of his mind from being kept up for the past couple of days or even an illusion from Dracula. No matter which it was, he saw his wife walking toward him. Her elegant movements matched her countenance, for she appeared more beautiful than when he had left her. Her face possessed a healthier, younger tone, her smile brightening her eyes as she stopped before him.

Unable to believe what he was seeing, Ivan slowly reached out his hand and took hers. She felt real… "Michelle," he muttered again in relief as a smile appeared on his face.

But then, that smile vanished. "Your hand is like ice," Ivan said in concern as he looked her over, holding her thin fingers in his hands. Then, he noticed that her smile was strange- eerie and almost cruel. Her eyes were as cold as her hand as she met his gaze as though they were taunting him.

"What happened to you?" the scientist asked quietly, pulling Michelle close to him in an embrace as his wife put her arms around him. A moment passed where neither of them moved. Then, Ivan gasped when he noticed something startling about her.

"You have no heartbeat."

Michelle grinned as his horrified whisper echoed in her ear, and her canine teeth began to grow longer into fangs…

"Not now, my dear. Wait until evening."

Ivan quickly pulled away from Michelle as her teeth shrunk back to normal, unnoticed by her husband. He spun around, seeing that Dracula had appeared in the laboratory even though some light was still coming in from above. "What is she doing here, Count?" the scientist demanded. "What's wrong with her? You told me that you would save her!"

"I did," Dracula replied casually, moving in the shadows as he avoided the light streaming in through the skylight above them. "Her illness ails her no longer."

"But something is still wrong with her," Ivan persisted. "I know it. I can see it!"

Dracula suddenly vanished and immediately appeared behind him. "I saved her the only way I could," he said quietly.

Ivan turned and looked at the lord of vampires for a long moment, wondering what he meant. Then, his face paled when the realization sunk in. "No…" The scientist quickly turned to face Michelle, who merely laughed at his terror in an almost shrieking way. Her empty eyes… her cold hand… it all made sense to him now.

He turned back to Dracula, who was smirking. "You _bit_ her?!" he cried.

"You asked me to save her, which I did," Dracula told him lightly. "You never were specific on _how_."

Ivan was at a loss for words as he watched Michelle walk past him and took Dracula's hand. Then, with one final smirk, the vampire lord led her out of the laboratory.

"Is Drac awake? I thought I heard his voice."

The scientist slowly looked over his shoulder and saw that Gryphon had entered the lab. "He was only in here for a moment," Ivan answered impassively. "Who knows what he's doing now…"

Gryphon approached Ivan, a sympathetic look on his face. "I have to tell him that our plan was a success," he muttered, placing his hand on his shoulder. "But you look down. What's wrong?"

Ivan didn't meet the other man's gaze, his eyes glued to the stone floor as a thin line of tears formed in them. What was he supposed to tell him? Dracula had defied their agreement and had turned his wife into a terrifying, soulless monster just like him?

"Come on. It can't be that bad," Gryphon pressed, shaking him a little.

"Dracula is heartless," Ivan murmured, mainly to himself.

Gryphon's eyes narrowed. "Well, yeah. He's undead…"

"That's not what I meant!" Ivan snapped, pushing him off. "Look, you're not making things any better. Please just leave me alone."

The albino man took a step back, seeming slightly hurt. "All right. I'll… talk to you later…" he said before turning himself invisible.

Ivan sighed, putting his head into his hands as a tear fell from his eyes against his wishes. He heard a soft whimper as the hound wandered into the laboratory and rubbed his head against his leg. The scientist smiled a little as he scratched him behind the ear, but then it vanished when the dog when off to look for Gryphon and his thoughts turned back to his wife…

… and what Dracula had created out of her. To him, Michelle was as good as dead.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Dracula slowly sat up, looking down on his sleeping bride beside him in hopes that he hadn't waken her. He sighed as he watched her peaceful form. Though he had bitten her, made her one of his kind, she was not connected to him since his own blood was not within her. She did not belong to him. He did not love her as he had his previous brides… Seeing that she was still asleep, he rose from his icy tomb and entered the laboratory once again. His mind was restless, and he needed to calm it.

The vampire quickly scanned the large room and saw that it was empty. Ivan must have gone to his room, and he wasn't sure where Gryphon or the hound had wandered to. Dracula took a couple of cautious steps forward, his gaze moving up to the skylight above him. Though it was around midday, not much light filtered through to his castle, and he was pleased to see that a thick layer of black storm clouds had formed in the sky. Good. This would enable him to move around more freely.

"Oh, so you _are_ awake. A bit early for you, isn't it?"

Dracula turned to look at one of the catwalks attached to the ceiling and saw that Gryphon was looking back down on him from above. "What's wrong with Ivan?" the man wondered.

"I cannot sleep. Did you bring him back?" Dracula asked, ignoring his inquiry.

"Yeah," Gryphon replied. "The friar is in the other tower," Gryphon answered.

"Thank you." Dracula swiftly vanished from the lab and reappeared on the middle of the staircase that led up to the second tower. Using his inhuman speed again, he appeared in a narrow hallway with a barred door at the end of it. He wandered over to it and looked inside, seeing that the unconscious form of a man in friar's robes was lying inside the stone chamber. The hound, who was keeping guard, raised his head and perked his ears at the trace of his master's scent and the slight sound of his footstep, his tail wagging happily at seeing him.

Would Gabriel really come for him? The question entered Dracula's mind, but he quickly pushed it aside. From what he knew about Van Helsing, the hunter would never leave behind anyone he cared about.

And when he arrived, he would have his revenge, not only for murdering him twice, but also for the unjust deaths of the women he had once loved.

Xxxxxxxxxx

"In the name of God, open this door."

Van Helsing heatedly cursed himself as he stood before the looming, black doors that were the entrance to Castle Dracula. With his injured side, it had taken him until shortly after midday to reach his destination when he could have normally made it in half the time. Carl… The hunter blamed himself for what had happened to the friar and was furious for leaving his friend in the hands of Gryphon for so long… along with whatever else laid beyond these doors.

Feeling a strong surge of anger, Van Helsing cried out in frustration and pounded his fists against one of the heavy doors. He gasped in surprise when he heard a loud creak and felt the door shift a little under the force. He couldn't believe his luck.

His instincts screamed out at him, telling him that the door was open purposely, that he was being expected, but he ignored it. He had to save Carl. Using his remaining strength, Van Helsing pushed the door open and slipped inside.

The heat coming from the giant flaming torches lining the center of the vast hall greeted him, granting a nice reprieve from the harshness of the cold and rain outside. Van Helsing ran past them, searching for the staircases that led up to the two towers of the castle. He stood between them when he found them, one at each end of the hall. One he knew led up to the laboratory where he had fought and killed Dracula three years before. He wanted to avoid that part of the castle if possible since the lord of vampires was not the only one who had died there. Anna had also been killed at his own hand, and he doubted that Carl would be there anyway.

As for the other staircase, he wasn't sure where it led. Carl and Anna had been the ones to go there the last time they had been here. Maybe that's where Carl was? It was worth a shot. Putting on an extra burst of speed, Van Helsing began to run up the unknown stone stairs.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Carl moaned as his eyes slowly fluttered open. Where was he? He tried to lift his head, but an instant pain caused him to lay it back down. _Now_, he remembered. A visible Gryphon had knocked him unconscious, and there had been a gigantic dog along with him. Where was Van Helsing?

Suddenly, he heard a low growl, and the friar pushed himself up on his arms with a sharp intake of breath as he ignored the throbbing in his head. He gasped in horror when he saw the large, dark gray dog that had been with Gryphon lying near him. "Well that's not good," Carl muttered, backing up against the wall fearfully as the creature glared at him menacingly.

"Do not worry, friar. He will not harm you while I am here."

Carl looked up when he heard the familiar, soft yet powerful voice, its owner standing on the other side of a barred door- the only way out. His eyes widened in terror when he met the dark, lifeless voids that were staring back at him, a hint of amusement amongst the emptiness.

"You!"

xxxxxxxxxx

Van Helsing ran through a labyrinth of twisting, narrow, cobweb-filled hallways, his instinct telling him that he was heading in the right direction to find the friar. Though he had never been in this part of the castle, the hunter felt as though he knew where he was going. A low growl soon reached his ears, and he followed the all too familiar sound as he went down a side hallway. Gabriel soon reached a stone room that was locked by a barred door. When he looked inside, he was met with a horrifying discovery.

Carl was sitting curled up against the wall, his face drained of color as he shook fearfully. The hound that Gryphon had had with him when the friar was captured paced before him, a mad, hungry glint in his eyes. The hunter knew that he had to reach him somehow, to save him from becoming the creature's next dinner…

"Carl!"

The friar's head shot towards the door, relief swarming through him at the sight of his friend. But then, horror replaced the smile. "Van Helsing!" 

Van Helsing knew that he wasn't alone even before Carl's warning. He could sense the evil coming from the hound locked in the room with the friar, but there was a much stronger evil radiating from behind him. The hunter quickly spun around with his crossbow raised, but his eyes widened in shock or terror, he wasn't sure which, when he recognized the man standing before him. His empty black eyes shone, his golden hoop earring sparkling in the dim light coming from one of the flickering torches hanging on the wall beside him. His midnight hair was pulled back behind his head, and a smirk lit up his pale face.

Count Vladislaus Dracula laughed a little at seeing Van Helsing's confusion and shock. "Hello, Gabriel."

**A/N**: Yeah, another cliffie. You should be used to them with this story by now. Lol! This was going to be longer, but I decided that it was already long enough so I divided it. The next chapter will be their actual encounter. Thanks for reading! Your reviews are much appreciated! 


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